The Best Strawberry and Cream Waffles #Epicurious #outofthekitchen

As some of you know, Doug and I lived in Dallas for a few years. We met in Dallas, we fell in love in Dallas and we ate in Dallas. Dallas has some of the best restaurants in Texas as you can imagine. Our absolute favorite breakfast spot was located right across from Doug’s apartment. We actually regret we didn’t take more advantage of the proximity because it is THE BEST breakfast around. It’s a charming location in Uptown that was once an old laundry mat. It is always crowded, for good reason, and has one of the most amazing servers we’ve ever met.

You can imagine, since we’ve married and moved east a couple of hours, we don’t get to visit Dallas as much as we’d like. Maybe once every few months at best. No matter how long we go without visiting, every time we go back we ask for the same server, Gar. The most amazing thing about Gar is not only his impeccable service, ability to juggle multiple tables with a large crowd but it’s his attention to detail. Every single time we go in, no matter the length of time it’s been since we’ve eaten there, he remembers our names. Gar also remembers where we live, that we have a little girl and other minor details of our lives. This is an individual who sees hundreds of faces every single day, yet manages to remember ours no matter how much time has passed.

The importance of personal service like this only adds to a dining experience. It makes you want to return, it makes you want to make adjustments in your daily life to be more like Gar. I’d love to remember the little things about people I rarely see. Bon Appetit’s Out of The Kitchen Series made me think how much it really drives us to want to return. Not to mention, the food is out of this world there.

The series inspired me to bring a little bit of that restaurant and service home. One of my favorite meals at this restaurant are their Strawberry and Cream Waffles. Typically, weekend brunch at home is a big thing for me. However I rarely make made from scratch pancakes or waffles if that’s the route I go. I’m not sure why not because I hardly ever take shortcuts in the kitchen. In my experience, made from scratch adds to the deliciousness. I’ve finally found the best waffle recipe and there is no looking back. I’m so glad that I was inspired to do so because honestly, there’s no comparison.

I encourage you to try and go the extra mile in your kitchen or daily life. Make someone smile, try something new, try this Waffle recipe for heaven’s sake. You’ll thank me!

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt with a fork.

In a separate large bowl, combine egg yolks, melted butter, buttermilk, sugar and vanilla with a whisk. Pour the egg mixture over the dry ingredients and whisk together until just combined, leaving some lumps of flour.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the egg whites into the waffle mixture careful not to over combine here.

Pour mixture into waffle maker (amount depending on what kind of waffle maker you have). I try to use the rule of thumb about 2/3 the amount of the entire waffle maker, pouring in the middle.

Cook the waffle to golden or desired crispiness.

Transfer the cooked waffles to a wire rack and keep warm in the heated oven until the remaining waffles have been cooked.

WHIPPED CREAM:

In a bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment add heavy whipping cream, vanilla and powdered sugar. Mix on high until stiff peaks form (approx 5 min).

Want to meet purveyors who are making a difference with their customers? Check out BonAppetit.com’s“Out of the Kitchen”, an ongoing exploration of the relationships that build and sustain the food industry. See how hyper-local food markets operate and how their focus on quality and service keep customers coming back for more.